Merchandise-truck



(No Model.)

2 SheebsSheet 1.

T. B. FITZ. MERCHANDISE TRUGK.

No. 596,263. Patented Dec. 28, 1897 AN w WITNESSES- @wQ/o. MM k; w

(No- Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

T. B. FITZ. MERCHANDISE TRUCK.

No. 596,263. Patented Dec. 28, 1897.

WITNEEEEE- |I l EN T UR @wmifirm- 3 24 3 5 WM 1 If? (142 1.- fig THOMAS E. FITZ, OF NEWTON, MASSAI-IUSETS.

FMERCHANDISE'JRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,263, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed May 16, 1890. Serial No. 352,068- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. FITZ, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Merchandise-Carriers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates especially to a carrier for the carrying of merchandise from one place to another, and especially for use in stores for collecting goods or merchandise at one or more points and delivering them or it at another point or points. I-Ieretofore there have been used for this purpose large baskets unmounted and also mounted upon trucks or wheels. These baskets are open at the top only and are of somewhat limited capacity, but for the transportation of certain forms of goods put up in pasteboard boxes these haskets have been as large, if not larger, than could be properly employed for the carrying of such filled pasteboard boxes in stacks of one upon another, as the weight of the superimposed boxes upon the lower ones is often such as to crush or disfigure them, a result which it is desired to avoid, as it is quite essential that the goods be delivered to customers in boxes which are whole and in good shape and order.

My invention relates to a merchandise-carrier which is preferably mounted upon rolls and which is arranged or formed to carry much more than the ordinary mounted merchandise-basket, while at the same time it prevents the breakage of or injury to filled pasteboard boxes carried by it. This result is reached by providing the carrier with preferably three sides, although it may be somewhat differently arranged, as will be hereinafter described, and arranging in the space inclosed by the sides about midway its height a movable support or horizontal partition preferablyattached to one side by hinges to be swung or moved upwardly and supported when in horizontal position by shoulders or cleats attached to the end sections of the carrier or in any other desired way to provide a free unencumbered space below it.

The invention further relates to the formation of the partition or movable support whereby there are no projections upon theunder surface thereof.

It further relates to means for securing the partition or support in a vertical position to provide access to the compartment in the carrier below it.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a merchandise-carrier having the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation, in reduced size, showing it loaded or filled with merchandise in pasteboard boxes.

A is the base of the carrier. It is represented as mounted upon rolls a. From it extend upward vertically the side a and the ends a a (See Fig. 1.) These ends and the side preferably are made of a wooden framework a, which forms the outer edge of the side and each of the ends, and thin metal panels of, secured to the framework.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have represented the carrier as having but one side, a. In Fig. 3 I have represented it as having another side, a extending about half-way the height of the carrier. Extending upon the inside of the carrier about half-way its height are the sections a of the frame. The side sections have the cleats or rests a To the rear section there is hinged the horizontal partition or support B by the hinges b. This horizontal partition or support preferably is of the full length and width of the interior of the carrier, and its ends when in a horizontal posi tion rest upon and are supported by the cleats or rests a The horizontal partition divides the carrier into the lower compartment 0 and the upper compartment 0. Each compartment is of a height to hold such number of filled pasteboard boxes as can rest one upon another in them without crushing or otherwise damaging the lowermost boxes. The partition or support B is movable upon its hinges to a perpendicular position against the side a, as represented in Fig. 2, and is automatically locked in that position by automatic latches b, there being, preferably, one upon each end of the side a. One latch only may be used. The latch or latches are formed with a curved section, which yields outwardly to permit the movement of the par- IOO tition or support by it to a perpendicular position upon the contact of the partition or support with it, and also is adapted to be moved out of latching position by the downward or reverse movement of the partition or support. I prefer that the partition or support B be made without any downward projections from its under or lower surface W. This is to enable the entire lower compartment to be utilized and to prevent any part of the partition or support resting upon the boxes in the lower compartment or that nice arrangement of boxes in the compartment which would be necessary if there were projections upon the under surface of the partition to prevent them bearing upon the boxes. It will be un derstood that it is necessary that this partition or support should not in any event rest or bear upon the boxes in the lower compartment, but upon independent or separate supports or rests, and that one of the principal objects of the invention is to divide the in creased space of the carrier by this partition so that the boxes in the upper compartment shall not rest or bear upon the boxes in the lower, but upon an independent support.

I would say that the half side a may be dis-' pensed with and that also the side a, in some cases may not be used, in which last-named case the partition or support B would be hinged by its ends to one of the ends a a instead of to the side a, as shown.

-While I have represented the carrier mounted upon a truck, I would not confine myself to its use with the truck, as it may be used without the truck, if desired, but as a rule it will be employed with the truck.

In use the partition or support B is lifted to a perpendicular position, the lower compartlnent O filled with goods, the movable partition B then brought to a horizontal position,1naking another compartment C,which is then filled with merchandise. While I have represented the partition B as hinged to the side a, I do not confine myselfto this special means of connecting it with the carrier, for although this is a convenient means of securing it in place and in a manner to permit it to be moved from an inoperative to an operative position, yet it is not necessary that it be attached to the carrier at all, as it may be entirely removed from the case, if desired, or it may be secured to the carrier in any other manner to be movable.

It will be seen that a carrier of this construction has a capacity very much larger than that of the ordinary carrier, and at the same time the goods which it transports are protected from breakage.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States In a merchandise-carrier, the combination with the solid bottom portion A, supporting rollers 04 on which said portion A is mounted, the skeleton frame a rigidly secured to said portion A, and inclosing the carrier on three sides, the thin metal panels a set in said skeleton frame a, the swinging horizontal partition B hinged to the frame a cleats a which support said partition B in one position, and a spring-catch b secured to the skeleton frame a which engages and holds partition B in its other position, substantially as described.

THOMAS E. FITZ.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, FRED. B. DOLAN. 

